


The Truth Will Out (But Sometimes It Needs Help)

by WolfenM



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Apologies, Asgard, Asgardian Loki, Awesome Frigga (Marvel), Best Friends, Big Brothers, Brother Feels, Brotherhood, Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Brothers, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Study, Comfort/Angst, Dysfunctional Family, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Exposition, Family, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family Issues, Father Figures, Father-Daughter Relationship, Father-Son Relationship, Female Loki, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Genderfluid Loki, Good Loki, Good Odin (Marvel), Guilt, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Introspection, Judgment, Little Brothers, Loki Angst, Loki Feels, Loki God of Stories, Loki Needs a Hug, Loki Redemption, Loki agent of asgard, Loki-centric, Mild Gore, Minir Odin/Freyja, Minor Sif/Thor (Marvel), Minor Violence, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Mother-Son Relationship, Odin's Good Parenting, POV Jane Foster, POV Loki, POV Third Person, Parent Frigga, Past Character Death, Past Lives, Poor Loki, Post Secret Wars II, Redemption, Revelations, Sentient Mjolnir, Sneaky Frigga (Marvel), Thor Feels, Truth, Truth Spells, Villain Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-24
Updated: 2017-01-26
Packaged: 2018-09-19 15:06:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9446825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WolfenM/pseuds/WolfenM
Summary: When Malekith is defeated, Loki's loyalties are called into question. Can Mjolnir determine the truth?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: These assorted versions of Loki, Thor, Sif, Odin, Freyja (Frigga), Jane Foster, Angela/Aldriff, Volstaag, Fandral, Hogun, Laussa, Aelsa / queen of the light elves, and Malekith ©Marvel Comics. Not used with permission; no profit is being made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILERS up through _The Mighty Thor_ (2015) #14 and _The Unworthy Thor_ #3. This is probably *already* Jossed by what's on the stands, but it'll be a few weeks before I can get back to my comic store ....
> 
> Note: Frigga is called Freyja here, as per current comics continuity.
> 
> If you're not up to date on the comics and don't care about spoilers, some background info, assuming you at least are read up through all of: Kieron Gillen's "Kid Loki" run on _Journey into Mystery_ ; Gillen's subsequent _Young Avengers_ run; and Al Ewing's _Loki: Agent of Asgard_. Honestly, the Thor books give no explanation of how the Asgardians got out of the ball Loki had them in (to save them from the collision of universes) at the end of _Agent of Asgard_ , or of how Ragnarok ultimately ended, much less how they got to the state they were in at the start of _The Mighty Thor_ (2015) #1. I'm not even sure if history had drastically changed for them, so the latest Ragnarok didn't actually happen at all, or what ....
> 
>  _The Mighty Thor_ kicks off with Odin considering Freyja a traitor for supporting the new female Thor (secretly Jane Foster, who is dying of breast cancer, and using Mjolnir counteracts the effects of her chemo; I haven't read how Thor Odinson became unworthy, or how Jane got the hammer), as he considers the new Thor to be false. (Never mind that Odin made the hammer so it could only be wielded by the worthy, right?)
> 
> Now, the realms are at war, what with Malekith having assembled his best evil buddies, and we see Loki work to convince them to let him join their party. He also conjures his previous selves to help him in an encounter with the new Thor (Jane), but most of his previous evil selves end up attacking him instead (and attacking the few other good incarnations as well). A bit later, we learn he's working under Freyja's orders (never mind that, last we saw before the Secret Wars world-collision, he resented her for betraying him, I guess?) -- but soon after, during a battle, he stabs her in the back, injuring and poisoning her, but not killing her. Cul, Odin's bro, notes to Loki that Loki seems to have purposefully avoided actually killing her.
> 
> Time goes on. Loki ends up as leash-bearer for the captured light-elf queen, and a relatively trusted confidant to Malekith, but we see evidence of his goodness -- him keeping a tearful astral-vigil by his mother's sickbed, and instances where he speaks loathingly of himself.
> 
> In issue #14, we see Jane, as Thor, working with a group that includes Sif, seeking to save the queen (they do) and fight Malekith, who runs back to Svartalfheim via the Black Bifrost, with Loki in tow.
> 
> Meanwhile, in _The Unworthy Thor_ , Odinson, who has been living like an animal on the Moon, is caught by The Collector, who has found another Mjolnir, from another dimension, and is hoping Odinson can help him figure out how to lift it. During Odinson's imprisonment, he meets the Hel-Hound Thori, whom Kid Loki had named after Thor, and they commiserate over their mutual hatred of Loki.
> 
> The preview for _The Mighty Thor_ #15 suggests the issue is spent in space, with Jane fighting in a war involving the Shi'ar and Odinson.
> 
> For this story, assume that Odinson has managed to gain the new hammer, and has returned with Thori to Asgard with Jane's group, which has since cornered Malekith and some of his followers ("including" Loki) in Svartalfheim for a final showdown. Basically, this is me having the other characters find out how good Loki is now, and all he's been through, so he can have the credit he deserves *somewhere* ....

(_v_)  
Loki wasn't exactly thrilled with this plan, but desperate times, and all that. Besides, it would make for a good story, one all of Asgard would appreciate (in one form or another, depending on whether they figured out the truth, and really, either version worked), and stories were his raison d'etre. 

And it wasn't like he hadn't died before. Getting to be old hat, really. (He just hoped, when he came back again, he didn't backslide into villainy ....) 

And there was good old Sif, with her trusty sword and even trustier (was that a word?) hate of Loki. All he needed to do was keep her engaged, draw her over to where they needed to be .... 

There. Now Loki was fighting back-to-back with Malekith. After what Loki had done to Freyja, stabbing her in the back (literally and kinda figuratively, even if it was ultimately so he could carry out her order to earn Malekith's trust), what could be more poetic than getting Malekith stabbed in the back in turn? 

And then the moment came. Loki dropped his magical defences, Sif's sword driving home, through Loki's chest -- and, thanks to her godly strength, through Malekith, behind him. With the elven sorcerer's defences down, NuThor's lighting attack struck the elf and the sword, and therefore Loki, compounding the agony. 

Loki fell back, the sword shifting painfully, then out some as they hit the ground. He felt Malekith struggle beneath him, trying to roll them over to get free. Loki reached weakly for the hilt and tried to plunge it deeper, into the ground, but it was no use. 

"Pin us," he gasped to Sif, just as NuThor landed beside her. 

"What?" Sif asked, understandably perplexed. 

"Pin us! Push your sword ... into the ground!" Loki ground out. "Don't waste ... Freyja's plan!" They had to keep Malekith immobile and distracted with agony until he was dead, needed to prevent him from saving himself with magic -- Loki's own magic was doing the job for the moment, but it might not be enough, if Loki died first and Malekith got free! 

(But honestly, this dying thing needed to hurry up already -- he wasn't sure how much more he could take!) 

NuThor grabbed hold of the hilt -- and pulled it free! The scream that ripped past Loki's lips overrode his attempt to protest -- and then he was face-down in the dirt, NuThor having rolled him off their mutual enemy. His subsequent protests were probably only heard by the ground, but he had the vaguest notion, as the world grew cottony around him, that he heard NuThor tell Sif to take care of Malekith, followed by the sound of meat being hit with a blade, and a momentary, gurgling scream. 

Oh. Well, okay, then! That was that! 

Loki had a fuzzy sensation of being rolled over and prodded, even of something being pressed into his hand, but the pain pretty well smothered his senses. _Wow_ , did dying hurt. In light of that, the cool darkness slowly swallowing him up was so inviting .... 

Until the world was suddenly blindingly white and hot, in an unhappily familiar way -- Thor's lightning. Weirdly, though, the pain in his chest actually began to subside! 

"Stay with us, Loki," NuThor demanded, bafflingly. 

Not that she was giving him a choice, but he was all too willing to oblige. Even so, struggle as he might, the darkness still won, unwilling to concede its prey. 

c==[]  
Jane had been trying to wear down Malekith's defenses with the power of Mjolnir, to no avail -- until Sif ran Loki through, giving Mjolnir an opening. And then Loki, inexplicably, tried to impale himself further, demanding Sif do so when he failed, saying something about "Freyja's plan". The agony on his face and the desperation in his voice touched the healer inside Jane. Balancing gentleness and speed as best she could, she pulled the sword free, rolling Loki away, and handed it to Sif with the order to take care of the dark elf. (He needed to die, but she didn't feel being Thor excused her from her oath to do no harm _quite_ that far. Pummeling was one thing, but killing ...?) 

While Sif did the grizzly work of beheading their foe, Jane turned her attention to her patient, gently turning him over. The wound (cauterised by the sword being heated by lightning, but then made worse by the subsequent movement of the sword) looked to be a mortal one. Surely this couldn't be a trick? Even Loki couldn't fake something like this! And surely he would have expected Sif to gladly finish the job, with him vulnerable like this? Why risk his life, unless he'd truly been acting on Freyja's orders, as a double-agent, and _meant_ to sacrifice himself? 

_But he tried to **kill** Freyja!_

Except that he hadn't actually _done_ it. Freyja had survived. What if he'd had to make it look like he'd intended to kill her, to maintain his cover? 

_He tried to kill Aelsa, queen of the Light Elves ...._

Except he hadn't. He could have broken her neck; instead, he'd dropped a _living_ queen from a balcony. If he'd refused, Malekith would have killed them both. He might even have hoped Jane would save her, but if not, maybe hoped she could at least be saved from Hel. 

Could it be that Loki was essentially Severus Snape? Doing Evil to help Good win? 

She remembered the day they'd met, after she'd become Thor, and Loki, insanely, was attacked by other versions of himself -- all versions, that was, but the child-Loki she'd actually come to love, and two or three others she'd never met (one of them looking like a cat with _Thor's_ helm, no less). She'd never met many of the attacking versions of Loki, either, but she knew at least two were evil, and plenty of the others seemed likewise bad. So if the confirmed-good Loki fought on the side of _this_ Loki, and the confirmed- _bad_ ones fought _against_ him .... 

Well, if he died, they'd never know the truth, and a good life might be lost. They could always kill him later, if she was wrong. But she had an idea that might _prove_ , at least to herself, that she was right about him. 

The problem was, she wasn't sure Mjolnir could do what she wanted -- and if it couldn't, that wasn't necessarily proof she was _wrong_ , but it meant Loki would die. It felt weird to pray she was right about Mjolnir's capabilities for his sake, after all he'd done to her and those she cared for, but she did it all the same. 

She wrapped Loki's hand around the hammer's hilt. "Mjolnir, my dear friend, if it be in your power, and if this man be an ally to us, please heal him." 

She worried when the lightning surrounded him, his body arched, teeth grit in agony -- was it simply unable to heal him, and it's attempt was killing him like she feared it might, or had the hammer actively _decided_ to kill him? Well, she supposed if it had, it knew he was evil and therefore was right to, but she found herself oddly disappointed. But then she saw his wound slowly knit. "Stay with us, Loki!" she encouraged, surprised by the strength of her own wish for him to live. 

Finally, the lightning subsided, and Loki collapsed against the ground, unconscious. She felt for his pulse -- strong. Healing could take a lot out of a person. 

"You _saved_ him?" Sif commented as she came to stand beside her, sounding disgusted. " _Why?_ " 

Jane looked around, suddenly remembering they were on a battlefield -- and saw the few remaining dark elves being quickly dispatched by their allies. Turning her attention back to Sif, she shook her head. " _Mjolnir_ saved him. Do you doubt Mjolnir's judgement?" 

"To be honest, I have at times," Sif admitted wryly. "But not in choosing you. I just ... what made you ask it to heal him?" 

Odinson (she was never going to get used to thinking of him that way), and the Hel-hound named for him, approached just then. "Does the liar still breath? Best finish him before he can speak!" Odinson growled. 

"He sure grew fast," Thori remarked. "He was still tiny, last I saw! I thought you two-leggers took years and years ...." 

Odinson looked down at the beast, seeming surprised and upset. "Tiny? Do you mean, dog, that Loki was still a _child_ when he named you?" 

"Yeah. What of it?" 

Odinson looked grim. "Then that is even worse! I thought _this_ Loki had named you, to _mock_ me! Now I find it was the _other_ Loki, the _good_ Loki, who did it, out of _love!_ " 

"Yes, that's definitely worse," the dog grumbled. 

"The Loki that _this_ Loki _murdered_!" Thor raised his new hammer, fury on his face. 

Jane leapt to her feet, standing defensively over Loki. 

"Would you lose _that_ hammer now, too? Your original one saved Loki's life!" 

" _What??_ " Odinson roared, but he did lower his hammer. 

"Probably because he's the one who got us into Svartalfheim," Angela remarked, stepping up beside Thori and scratch behind his ear. 

" _He_ was your inside contact?" Sif asked, disbelieving. "Why would you _trust_ him?" 

Angela shrugged. "Whether or not it was a trap, there was a promise of battle!" She grinned ferally. 

"It serves my theory, too," Jane weighed in, recounting her thoughts leading up to the decision to save him, including her memory of the strange battle of the Lokis. 

"There is no getting around Mjolnir's approval of him, beloved," Sif insisted to Odinson when Jane was done. "We did all love the child-Loki -- maybe not at first, but eventually, when he helped save Asgard," Sif mused. "When we learned what the _other_ Loki did to him, we were horrified and furious. But when I looked in his eyes, I did not see the Loki who had similarly violated _me_ \-- I told Fandral as much. Thinking on it _now_ ... I would swear I saw regret and self-loathing in that other Loki's eyes, like we could not hate him more than he already hated himself. And then, when we saw him again at Ragnarok, he was ... _different_." 

" _Ragnarok?_ Then Loki _has_ tricked you, beloved -- there could not have been another Ragnarok! I _freed_ us from that!" Odinson insisted. 

"You'll have to talk to your father about that -- apparently all it takes is someone _wanting_ it, for it to happen again. And really, I think we _all_ did. The greatest of battles? What warrior _wouldn't?_ " 

"You said Loki was different this time?" Jane prodded Sif back on track. 

Sif nodded. "He was ... _confident_. Loki has always been arrogant, but that is not the same. That is filling the hole a lack of confidence leaves. He had always sought Odin's approval, but there at this latest Ragnarok, Odin was _giving_ it to him, as he never had before, and Loki simply _did not not care_. He refused to join in the fight. He ..." Her eyes flew open. "Wait ... he _did_ fight against _himself_ , though! I remember that now! Yes, there were _two_ Lokis, and the new Loki fought the _old_ one, who was leading the army of the dead -- the _enemy!_ " 

"So it seems there really _are_ good Lokis other than the child!" Jane pointed out triumphantly. 

"But what about how he _murdered_ that child?" Odinson protested. "How could Mjolnir overlook _that?_ " 

"Maybe we should start with how exactly the murder _occurred_?" Jane suggested. 

Thor was quiet a moment. "It was confusing. Something about the child-Loki being forced to consume a copy of the original Loki, who was a magpie the child called Ikol, and so this Ikol took the child's body over ...." 

"Well, what if that transformation was not a one-way street?" Jane suggested. "What if being in the child's body changed _Ikol_ , for the better? Loki went missing for months, right?" 

Odinson nodded, frowning thoughtfully. "He told me that he had been hanging out with the Young Avengers, trying to better himself." 

"Well, what if that was actually _true?_ ," Jane pressed, then turned to Sif. "You say Loki seemed different at Ragnarok -- what if this is not even the Ikol-Loki? What if he had transformed _again, after_ his big confession about murdering the child-Loki?" 

Sif looked thoughtful. "They say he has taken to calling himself the God of _Stories_ these days, instead of Lies ...." 

"What if that's why Odin was so proud at Ragnarok? Because Loki finally became the god he was _meant_ to be?" Jane suggested. 

Odinson pursed his lips. "Or he is playing his best trick yet." 

Jane gestured to the hammer. "One that even Mjolnir can't see past? I think I'd rather believe even the worst someone can change for the better." 

Sif laughed. "Indeed!" 

"Well, regardless, if we're not to kill him, we must take him to Asgard, be it as patient or prisoner," Odinson pointed out. "If Odin _knows_ what Loki has been through, then we make him _tell_ us." 

"Let us talk to Aelsa, first," Jane suggested, not eager to see the All-Father. "She was the one most recently with Loki, after all ...."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With help from Odin, the Thors and their allies continue to puzzle out the quandary that is Loki ....

(_v_)  
The world was confusion when Loki woke, the bed and the clothes he was in foreign, but the room familiar. He turned his head and saw Freyja, sitting up in the bed beside his, Odin sitting on the far side of her, and Angela, curiously, snoring in the chair beside Odin, near the foot of Freya's bed. For a moment, Loki thought himself astral-projecting again, until Odin said,

"Well! Look who's rejoined the land of the living!" 

Loki scrambled up in a panic. If Odin could see him, Loki was a dead man -- never mind that Loki didn't understand why he wasn't dead already. He scooted away, trying to untangle his legs from the blankets -- and started to fall off the far side of the bed. 

The arms that grabbed him were almost as hard and unforgiving as the floor would have been, but the booming voice that accompanied them was surprisingly soft. 

"I have you, Loki," it told him as he looked up into familiar blue eyes. 

Looking at them from upside-down, they looked murderous. 

Loki froze, hardly daring to breathe as his brother righted him with uncharacteristic gentleness. As soon as Thor let go, Loki backed against the wall, then scooted up it until he got to his feet. The motion was too much; the room starting to swim. Gripping the wall, he closed his eyes and drew deep breaths. 

"Why does he seem so terrified?" 

Sif. 

Loki opened his eyes and found her sitting beside OriginalRecipe!Thor, with NuThor beside her, and the Warriors Three at the foot of Loki's bed. 

Loki swallowed hard, eyeing his brother. "Oh, I dunno, maybe because the last time Odinson saw a Loki, he promised to kill him if they ever met again?" He turned to NuThor. "Or maybe because I was allied with Malekith and threw the queen of the Light Elves from a tower?" He turned to Odin. "Or maybe because I tried to kill the All-Mother?" He turned back to NuThor, a memory catching up to him. "You ... you _saved_ me, though. _Why_ did you save me?" 

"Because I realised you did not kill _either_ queen -- and never _meant_ to," NuThor smirked. 

"We have realised a _great many_ things," Volstagg added. "You have been unconscious for a while, and we have used the time well. To start with, Thor had some theories, which she shared with Sif and Odinson ...." 

Loki, sensing this was to be a long tale, slid down to a sitting position. While listening, he silently measured the distance to the door, which was several feet too far away, against his strength, which was far too low for an escape attempt .... 

"We talked to the elf queen," NuThor had picked up the tale. "After we told her that you facilitated Malekith's death, and that we believed you had been acting as a double-agent, she revealed that you had, up until the tower, been courteous to her. More, she had often heard you muttering ill thoughts towards Malekith, and saw you glare at him whenever his back was turned -- and sometimes when it wasn't. She decided to believe in you, and has pardoned you." 

Sif picked up the next thread. "Your brother and Angela and I went on ahead to Asgard, to tell Odin that the war was over--" 

"I was there for that, heard everything!" Volstagg chimed in. "They told how you and Angela had helped -- and how Lady Thor had saved you in turn. It was an excellent story!"" 

"Did Big Sis happen to mention what she wants in _payment_ for the favour of sticking up for me?" Loki asked, wincing. There was no other explanation for why she was sticking around -- especially so close to Odin. 

"She says I owe her for killing Malekith instead of letting _her_ do it," Sif replied, clearly not amused. "She said she might as well see what appeal Asgardians find in this 'family' notion while she thinks upon how I might make it up to her." 

Loki knew an excuse when he heard one. Like Loki, Angela had been on the outs with Asgard, but it seemed her actions against Malekith had gained her some clemency. Well, Odin's relationships had ever been tumultuous -- just look at him and Cul! Ready to murder one another for years, and now they were ruling Asgard together! And Odin had been intent on killing Freyja, until Loki had nearly killed her himself. It really wasn't so hard to believe that Angela's banishment for kidnapping their baby sister Laussa was over, or that she might have gotten over her own biases against Asgard. 

Loki exchanged a knowing glance with his parents, who seemed quite pleased with this new arrangement. He'd have to make sure Angela remembered that her littlest brother owed her too (first for her help during the battle, and now for sticking up for him), and thus give her reason to stay longer, as she came up with a way for _him_ to pay her back _too_ .... 

"Well, I'm sure Angela will think of something truly awful for each of us to do," Loki assured Sif. "So what happened next, after you told Odin your story?" 

" _Cul_ weighed in, of all people," Volstagg revealed, shaking his head. "He spoke of a talk he'd had with you, basically supporting the theory that you had not intended to kill the All-Mother. I knew you hadn't!" 

Loki doubted very much that Volstagg had, but he must have been swayed somehow, and therefore in his mind, he must have _always_ believed it. Judgeing by Fandral and especially Hogun's faces, though, there was still convincing left to be done. 

"And then, joyously, Freyja awoke, revealing that she had indeed ordered you to infiltrate the enemy," Odin cut Volstagg off, giving his wife a gooey look and kissing her hand. 

Loki smothered a grin. 

"And my having a hammer again seems to have helped in gaining clemency for my fellow Thor from Father, so we were able to bring you _both_ home," the Odinson finished. 

"Well, that was not _quite_ why I allowed it," Odin hedged. "When I almost lost Freyja, despite having been about ready to end her myself, I came to my senses. Hence, most of my anger about this second Thor was already dissipated by the time the original Thor arrived -- for how could I stay angry at this woman without also staying angry at Freyja?" 

Odin gave his wife another soft look, which she returned while combing her fingers through his beard. Loki found himself smiling like a Midgardian child at Solstice, committing the sight to memory, knowing all too well that they'd be screaming at one another again sooner or later. 

"But I _was_ still determined to order this strange woman to return the hammer to my son," Odin admitted. "Now that he _has_ a hammer again, the point is moot. Besides, how could I take it from her after she saved your _life_ with it?" he added, looking on Loki with fondness that made the trickster's heart swell even more. 

And here he'd thought for sure Odin would massacre him if they ever met again! Loki had resigned himself to ever being hated by everyone, had made his peace with it (even if he would have _liked_ more favourable treatment). 

Speaking of which .... 

Loki turned to his brother, still wary. "And you? Was my part in bringing down Malekith enough to earn your forgiveness?" 

"It gave me pause in killing you, at least, until I could hear what Father had to say. It also helped to discover you named a dog after me," he chuckled. "Although, admittedly, I thought it a jest at my expense, at first, until Thori eventually revealed otherwise." 

Loki's heart fell, but he wasn't surprised. "Then you know that it was not actually _me_ who named him. That was the child you loved, the one that that _other_ Loki _murdered_. You remember the other Loki, yes? The very one you said you'd kill if you saw him again? I mean, other than that I am hairier, he and I look much alike ...." 

"So it _is_ true," Sif breathed. "You are _not_ the same Loki as the child-murderer!" 

A strange look passed over Fandral at her words, like he wanted to say something. Curious .... 

"Did you doubt my story, Lady Sif?" Odin asked, with a note of warning. 

"Story?" Loki perked up. A story of Loki, told by Odin -- _that_ would be interesting .... 

"I explained to them that everything that happened, from even before the death of Loki by the Void, through the time of the child-Loki, and through Ikol's theft of the child's life, were all part of Loki's journey of transformation into his _true self_ \-- not the God of _Lies_ , but rather of _Stories_ ," Odin began. "I told them how, thanks to the memory of the child _and_ to the friendships Ikol made _after_ the murder, Ikol decided to _truly_ be good, and worked hard to try to erase the negative memories everyone used to lock him into the role of Evil. To that end, he served Freyja as the Agent of Asgard." 

"Ikol _told_ Thor all that already!" Loki protested, feeling oddly indignant. 

"Exactly. But coming from _Ikol_ , Thor saw it as him making excuses and falling back on old ways. When _I_ , a _proud father_ , told the story, Thor and everyone here saw it as a _hero's_ journey, and realised the child was part of a greater Loki whole. You are a collaborative being, and your life is your own -- it is for no one else to punish Ikol for a matter concerning the state of a Loki's existence. Now let me finish, boy!" 

Petulance brought forth a spark of mischief; Loki became a woman. "Do I still have to if I'm a _girl?_ " 

Odin burst out laughing, much like he did when Loki was growing up the first time, when Loki would do something clever. (If that was even true; perhaps that memory was actually something Loki wrote into the story, after the fact? It didn't matter; it was there _now_.) Loki flushed with warmth, growing warmer still when she heard her brother laughing too. She shot the Odinson a grin -- which fell quickly when she caught sight of Sif looking ill. 

Realising the warrior woman was probably remembering when the old Loki had stolen her body, a horrified NuLoki quickly shifted into a man again. "S-sorry, Sif," he apologised. 

Volstagg nodded approvingly, while Fandral and Hogun looked gobsmacked. 

Sif sighed, shaking her head ruefully. "Well, if I had any doubts left that you're a new Loki, they're gone now. The Loki who stole my body would never have apologised -- at least, not so sincerely. Apology accepted, Loki." 

He smiled meekly. "My thanks, milady." 

Fandral seemed to be looking at him with new eyes. Well, that was promising .... 

"This isn't going to be a problem, is it?" Odin asked. 

"Father?" Loki asked in turn. 

"Loki is also female," Odin reminded Sif. "I would not see her restrain part of her nature, after all the progress she's made!" 

"Father, I don't mind staying male around Sif," Loki insisted. "I mean, it's the _least_ I could do after what I did to her--" 

"You mean what the _other_ you did," Sif corrected. "I mean to see you for yourself, not impose the past Loki upon you." 

"But that's just it!" Loki protested. "The old Lokis are still _part_ of me -- to deny that is to deny who I am _now_ , because I wouldn't _be_ the me I am now without the mistakes I've made in other lives! I still _am_ them as much as I'm _not_ them!" 

"See, I would love some clarification on that," Fandral interrupted. " _How_ are there different Lokis -- are they from different dimensions ...?" 

"In some cases, yes, they are," Loki told him. "There are different versions of _you_ , too -- of _everyone_. But in most of your cases, you are not different enough from those other versions to notice. In fact, one might say it's the same you living lives over and over. But I am not a born-Asgardian. Even by Jotun standards, I am not ... _normal_. I'm inherently a shapeshifter, and as such, I am a creature of possibilities. Of chaos. Of _change_. 

"And then I was locked into a role: the villain. I went mad, being trapped in one identity, so first I tried to be that identity in different ways. And then I understood -- I'm an actor. A storyteller. I'm the role, but the role isn't _me_. I might be typecast, but typcasting a shapeshifter means you never get the exact same performance every night. And being the God of Story means I can compatmentalise like nobody's business, view the stories from the outside. That's caused some ... _fracturing_ of my sense of self. Or, I guess that self was already fractured, I don't know." 

Loki got an idea. 

"You have two eyes. When you look around, do you see one image or two?" he asked Fandral. 

"One," Fandral replied, looking at Loki like he was insane -- which was probably true. 

"Cross your eyes." 

Scowling, Fandral did so. 

"And now?" Loki asked. 

"Two," Fandral breathed. 

Loki nodded, smiling. "Most of the time, the first way is how most people see things -- their multiple perspectives merged into one view. I guess I'm inherently cross-eyed when it comes to looking at myself, because I'm trying to look directly _at_ myself, instead of in the mirror." 

Fandral gave him a considering look, nodding. "And just because my experience is not the same, does not mean _your_ experience is any less real." 

"Unless he is just crazy," Hogun muttered. 

"If he is, then so am I," NuThor weighed in. "I _saw_ the different versions of him." 

"He is an illusionist. He conjured them from his imagination," Hogun insisted, crossing his arms. 

"That's completely possible," Loki agreed. 

"So you are not really separate beings!" Hogun pointed out. 

"I think I already established that those other 'me's _are_ part of me," Loki countered. 

"No, I mean there are no other yous! There's only one Loki! It's just an excuse!" 

"Hogun, even if that is true, the only thing that changes is that the child-Loki was never actually murdered," Fandral replied tiredly. "Whether Loki is actually separate beings, or he is insane with a split-personality, or he has fabricated the whole idea of multiple Lokis, the child-Loki saved us multiple times, and _this_ Loki just helped us defeat Malekith. 

"I, for one, actually do believe in the multiple-Lokis notion," Fandral went on, "at least versus it being a _trick_. Ikol's confession does not make sense otherwise, considering Thor nearly killed him and we shunned him. Besides which, we already know there are alternate dimensions, so it is not really an outlandish notion. And even if the new Thor's battle with the multiple Lokis was an illusion, I do not doubt Sif." 

"I agree on all counts, but what has Sif to do with it?" Volstagg asked. 

"The day we learned that the child-Loki had been murdered, Sif said to me that she knew Loki, thanks to his possession of her -- but when she looked into the eyes of that Ikol-Loki ...." 

"I did _not_ know him," Sif finished. 

"That she would note such a thing _even as we learned the Ikol-Loki was supposedly a murderer_ suggests to me that Odin's story of Loki's transformation has merit." 

"Thank you, Fandral," Loki said, surprised and touched. 

"Don't," Fandral warned. "I'm placing my trust in Sif, and our new Thor, and in Odin." 

"Fair enough -- and, frankly, wise," Loki conceded. "Even a _Good_ Loki is still a trickster." 

"You are _not helping_ the situation, Loki," Freyja remarked dryly. 

"Too right, Mother," Loki agreed, chagrined. 

"So where does this leave us?" Fandral asked. 

"To be honest, I lost track of what the point of this conversation was," Volstagg admitted. 

"The greater discussion was Odin telling Loki how he'd explained to us how Loki was a changed man," NuThor explained. "When his changing gender reminded Loki of his past transgression against Sif, and Sif chose to overlook it, Loki raised the question of whether she actually _should_ \--" 

"Because Loki is his own worst enemy," Odin interjected. 

"Just so," NuThor agreed. "That point in turn led to Fandral and Hogun questioning what exactly is meant by the notion of multiple Lokis, and whether or not it's true that there _are_ multiples. I believe most of us accept that, one way or another, there are indeed multiple Lokis. With that in mind, let us say that the _other_ Lokis are on the road behind us," NuThor suggested. "Still there when we look back, but not blocking the way forward." 

"Yes ... yes, that will satisfy," Sif agreed. "Will it not?" 

OldThor, Volstagg, and Fandral nodded. Hogun shrugged. 

"So, then, Loki, working under the hope that henceforth we can be friends, it is all right by me if you wish to be a woman," Sif decided. 

"I appreciate that, Sif, thank you -- but maybe later. Changing gender twice just now took a lot out of me." (It wasn't a lie, but wasn't the whole truth -- he wasn't sure he would ever feel comfortable as a woman around Sif, regardless of her blessing.) 

"You _did_ lose a lot of blood," NuThor remarked. 

"And with that in mind, perhaps it is time for him to be quiet and rest, and _let me finish the story_ ," Odin suggested pointedly. "Now, where was I? Oh, yes! The next thing I told everyone was how, once Ikol was in the Void again, while his future self tortured him, he decided that the next version of himself would retain the desire to be good, and his love for his brother -- just as the child did, and just as Ikol had come to do, never mind that Thor had written him off." 

"I am sorry for that, brother," OldThor apologised. 

"There's no need for an apology!" Loki insisted. "Ikol understood -- he, too, hated himself for killing our child-self, that self who was the _best_ of us. He could never get past the guilt -- it's a big part of why he created _me_ to take his place!" 

"Exactly," Odin nodded. "I told them that Ikol had finally figured out the key to freeing himself: instead of struggling with trying to change everyone's perception of him by being something he wasn't -- like a _Thor_ \-- Loki would have to finally _own_ his role. The universe might hand him a sword and insist he keep it, but Loki would decide how to _use_ it. And so Ikol died and was born anew, as the Loki we have _now_ \-- the Loki who embraced the role of the villain everyone believes him to be, in order to do the good that no one else _could_ , so that heroes could be heroes." 

"No matter what the cost, it seems," Loki replied bitterly, turning his eyes from Odin to Freya, taking her frail appearance -- pale, greyish skin, veins showing, golden hair gone white. 

Despite all that, though her smile was radiant as she held open her arms. "Come here, Loki," she gently beckoned. 

" _Mother!_ " Loki sobbed, suddenly overcome as he practically hurled himself at her, wrapping his arms around her and burying his head in her lap, as he had done growing up, whenever he'd been upset. "I'm so sorry -- I couldn't think what else to do to keep Malekith from _killing_ you!" 

"Hush, my child," she insisted, stroking his hair. "Given how I had betrayed _you_ , it is the _least_ I deserved." 

"Mother, no! That was Ikol, not me, and his own future self tricked you into it!" Loki insisted. Yes, he'd initially been hurt by the memory of the betrayal, but he was over it, much like Odin was over Freyja's siding with NuThor. (Perhaps Loki was more like his foster-father than he'd realised.) 

"Even so," Freyja argued, "I had no right to decide for Ikol what path he would take." 

"But don't you see? It's because you _tried_ to, that he was finally _able_ to choose to be _me_ instead!" 

"Is _that_ why you agreed to work for me again, against Malekith?" she asked, bemused. 

"Well, it _was_ a good plan, and probably the only plan I would be useful in -- I would have been a fool not to!" 

"And so there you are -- you have nothing to be ashamed of." 

"That doesn't mean I can't be _sorry_ ," he said in all seriousness. 

She smiled gently down at him, brushing a stray lock from his brow, then cupping his cheek. "How about we forgive _each other?_ " she asked as he leaned into he touch like a flower towards sunlight. He'd feared he'd never know such affection again. (Who did a god thank for miracles, he wondered?) 

"Done!" he agreed, sighing contentedly as he hugged her again and rest his head against her, while she pet his hair. He couldn't remember the last time he felt even a _little_ at ease .... 

"There is something I'd like to know, yet," Odin broached. "How exactly did you save us from The Collision of Earths? Everything is fuzzy, even for me ...." 

"Father!" Thor interrupted, sounding alarmed. The Warriors laid hands on their weapons, ever sensitive to their friend's mood. "You said Loki saved you all -- _that_ was why I _forgave_ him, because you said it was thanks to him that I still had a wife, parents, friends, a _people_ ... H-how could you know that he did those things but not know _how?_ " 

Uh-oh. Loki supposed the other shoe had to drop sooner or later. Of _course_ Thor hadn't simply forgiven him. And of course Odin hadn't actually gotten around to the part of the story explaining why Thor _had_ seemed to forgive him. Loki should have known better than to assume Thor just believed that Ikol had decided to be better, and the God of Story was the result .... 

"Thor, I love you, but you are an idiot sometimes," Sif growled. " _Think about it._ I told you, he didn't fight at the end -- he was the only one there who _wasn't_ busy fighting at that point! Who _else_ could it have been?" 

"It could have been someone else entirely! Someone not of Asgard," OldThor insisted. 

"And _I_ told you, Those Who Sit Above In Shadow made Ragnarok possible in the first place," Odin countered. "They would not have let any outsider interfere!" 

"Maybe, maybe not. So go ahead and answer Father, Loki," OldThor demanded. "How _did_ you save everyone?" 

"There's not much to _tell_ , really," Loki hedged, sitting up, wondering how well this part of the story would go over. "I gathered Ragnarok as a sort of ... story-seed. Then I wandered around a bit in nothingness, then skipped ahead in the story to where was safe to plant the seed in the new world that got created to replace the old." 

"And Those Who Sit Above in Shadow?" Odin asked. 

"I, ah ... may have suggested that if they ate their believers, they would cease to exist, then offered to finish their story for them. They declined my offer and disappeared." 

Odin guffawed, slapping Loki's leg. "I wish I had seen that!" 

"As do I," OldThor added humourlessly. "Especially seeing as, conveniently, there are none to _verify_ his story!" 

" _I_ can," came another familiar voice, from the shadows. "I was there ...." 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The question of Loki's goodness is answered to everyone's satisfaction. FLUFF ABOUNDS!

Loki knew who it was before she stepped into the light. "Verity!" he cried and leapt from the bed, overjoyed to see her. 

Overcome with vertigo, he landed flat on his face. 

NuThor and Sif hurried over the other bed, to help, but Verity, there first, helped him to his feet. He hugged her tightly, noting OldThor approach next, warily. "How are you here?" Loki asked his friend. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again!" 

She pulled back, shocked, and losing the support, he landed with a bounce on his mother's bed. "You _mean_ it! But ... _why_ did you think that?" she asked. 

"I told you, when I put you in the new world, to imagine whatever life you wanted for yourself, to make up for the life King Loki gave you. I would have thought you'd had enough of me for one life ...." 

"Hey, that's my best friend you're talkin' about!" she teased, sitting beside him and bumping his shoulder. "But seriously, you forgot something when you did that: I never liked fiction. How was I supposed to 'imagine a new life'?" 

Loki facepalmed and fell back into his mother's lap. "Loki, you're an _idiot_!" 

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" 

Loki opened his eyes and found his mother grinning down at him. 

He propped himself up on his elbows. "Mother, this is Verity Willis, of Midgard. Verity, this is Freyja, Queen of Asgard." 

"Your highness," Verity greeted with a bow of her head. 

"Ms Willis," Freyja greeted back. "Thank you for being a friend to my child." 

"I dare say they've been in as short of a supply for me as they have been for him," Verity admitted. 

"So, introductions," Loki continued, trying to keep things from getting any more awkward. He gestured to the Warriors, who had drawn their chairs over to the foot of Freyja's bed (probably for the ease of pummeling Loki, if necessary). "The big one is Volstagg, Lion of Asgard. The handsome one is Fandral the Dashing. The grumble-y one is Hogun the Grim." He gestured to his brother, who had since sat on Loki's bed. " _That_ Thor, you know. Next to him, the Lady Sif, and next to her, the _new_ Thor." He realised then that Verity was gaping at the latter, and realised why. "But of course, you _might_ know who she is -- who she _really_ is ...." he breathed. 

"You should tell them," Verity said to NuThor. "Not all of Asgard, no, but surely everyone _in this room_ deserves to know." 

"I don't understand," Sif broke in. "Have you two met?" 

"No," Verity admitted. 

"Verity can see through all lies and illusions," Thor explained, sounding wary. 

"Which is why she's here, isn't it, Father?" Loki asked tiredly. "You wanted someone to verify my story. That's why she was _hiding_ until now." Well, he couldn't really blame the man. 

"Everything Loki has said since he's woken up was true. Same with Odin," Verity revealed. 

Okay, Loki hadn't considered she could serve as a lie-detector with Odin, as well .... 

"And how is _she_ verification?" OldThor demanded. "This could be a trick of Loki's!" 

"Is that how you want to live your life?" Verity snapped. "Doubting everyone and everything 'Because Loki'?" 

"I've given him plenty of reason to," Loki pointed out. 

Verity studied Thor. "But that's _not_ why you're refusing to believe, is it?" she remarked. 

"Thor?" Sif prompted when he didn't answer. 

The behemoth's shoulders fell. "No," he finally admitted. "It's just ... if I accept that this Loki _is_ telling the truth, then that means the child-Loki is _part_ of him. I promised _that_ Loki that I would never give up on him, but ...." 

"Oh, _seriously?_ " Loki rolled his eyes. "You seem to have forgotten that the child-Loki didn't _want_ you to make that promise! _He_ wanted you to promise to _end_ him if he ever went bad again -- becoming the old Loki was his greatest fear, and it kind of happened!" 

"And I was supposed to _protect_ him, but I _failed!_ Again and again! I even tried to _strangle_ him -- _twice!_ He was _more_ than a _brother_ \-- I _wished him into being!_ That made him my _son_ \-- and I ..." Thor choked back a sob as tears left pale lines against tan cheeks. "... I left him to fend for himself," he whispered, burying his face in his hands. "He saved my life again and again, saved us _all_ ...." 

Loki sat beside his brother, slipping an arm around his back and resting his head against Thor's shoulder. "He couldn't have done any of those things if not for you bringing him back in the first place. You believed in him enough to give him a chance to be someone else, and he _was_. Because of him, Ikol, the copy of the hateful Loki of old, learned to _love_. Ikol made _friends_. _Ikol_ learned to value goodness enough to still _want_ it, even when he lost everything trying to _be_ good. Even when no one would believe it of him. And that's ...." 

He stood up, laying a hand on Thor's shoulder. "And that's why I don't ask for your forgiveness. I accept the role I've played, and the consequences. I love you brother, but I don't need you to believe that or love me back. That I _do_ love you means I'm who I choose to be, and that's already gift enough." 

Thor didn't reply. Sighing and nodding, Loki sat by Verity again, who took his hand. He understood Thor's rejection, yes, but it still hurt .... 

"Tell them who I am, Verity," NuThor suggested. "Then l will take off my helm, and they will know not to doubt you--" 

"Nay," OldThor objected. "I would only assume you'd known one another already!" 

(Loki suspected OldThor also didn't want her to sacrifice her secret for his sake.) 

"All right, then, you trust Mjolnir, do you not? Or your new hammer?" NuThor asked. "If you cannot trust Ms Willis, then have Loki touch the hammers -- if he's lying about anything you ask of him, we'll have the hammers shock him." 

Verity jumped to her feet. 'What?? No! That's _barbaric!_ " 

"Verity, it's _fine_ ," Loki insisted. "I won't be lying, so I won't be shocked!" 

"Oh! Right!" She plopped back down on the bed, blushing. 

"Well, except the first time -- but it will only be once!" Loki clarified as he reached first for the new hammer. 

Verity grabbed his wrist. "Loki! It's still barbaric!" 

"Well, we have to be sure the hammers will shock me as expected if I _do_ lie," he pointed out. "Verity, it's fine -- I _want_ to do this." 

Frowning, she reluctantly released him. 

He laid his hand gently on the hammer, a little nervous it would zap him out of spite. Thor clamped his hand down over Loki's, doubtless to ensure contact. 

"Now you," Loki told NuThor, beckoning with his free hand. They copied the stance of OldThor, down to her holding her hand over his, pressing his palm to the uru. 

"All right, then," Thor began. "My new hammer friend, if my brother should speak a lie whilst his hand lay upon thee, bestow upon him a small shock." 

NuThor copied the command for Mjolnir. 

"First, a question I know the answer to ... what is the All-Father's name?" OldThor asked. 

"Engelbert Humperdinck," Loki answered, yelping when the hammers shocked him. "I'm fine," he hurriedly told Verity, who insisted on standing anyway, her hands clenched. He suspected she was fighting the urge to pull him free, and was touched by her concern. 

Loki then nodded to OldThor. 

"And now speak truly, so we may confirm that the hammers will spare you for a truth," his brother prompted. "What is the All-Father's name?" 

"Odin Borson, the All-Father." 

Nothing happened. 

The Thors nodded to each other, satisfied. 

OldThor proceeded to ask all sorts of questions -- with the Warriors looking ready to slit Loki's throat if he answered wrong. One question was on whether it was true that the current Loki was a different Loki than the one who had killed the child-Loki; it called for a complicated answer that was both a yes and a no, but both of the hammers and Thors seemed satisfied. It probably helped when, after Thor asked if he would be justified in punishing this Loki for the child's death, Loki did not get a shock when he said no. The questioning lasted a solid half-hour; Loki was trembling with exhaustion near the end. 

" _Enough_ , Thor," Odin finally demanded. "He needs _rest!_ " 

"Just two more," OldThor insisted. "First, Loki, do you swear you will not betray Asgard again?" 

"No." 

The room grew cold. 

"Thor, think about it," Loki went on. "Even the child-Loki betrayed you -- at _least_ twice. Betrayal is one of my best weapons, and I wield it _very_ well -- it's my propensity for betrayal that allowed me to convince Malekith I was on his side. I won't tie a hand behind my back with such a promise. The best I can do is promise that _this version_ of me ..." he turned female for a moment, "including this or any other iteration of this version, will always act ultimately for what I believe to be Good, not Evil ... even if that means doing evil things." She went back to being male, and let out an internal sigh, relieved to have found a wording that wouldn't get him zapped _or_ bludgeoned by a Thor. 

OldThor nodded, then took a deep breath. "And my last question ... do you love me?" 

Loki grinned; this one was easy. "Right this very moment, I _do_ love you, Thor Odinson. I'll probably still love you even if you punch me now and then, but ... let's not test the theory," he added with a wink. 

Both Thors laughed (as did everyone but Angela and Hogun), OldThor sweeping Loki up in a crushing hug. 

"I love you too, little brother," Thor declared. 

Loki suspected it was conditional upon Loki staying good, but thanks to the small nod Verity gave him, he also knew it was _true_. (Maybe it was even true when Loki was bad; Loki knew from experience that the two feelings weren't mutually exclusive.) 

"Thor, I do need to breath," Loki reminded him after enduring it as long as he could (and wishing he could endure it even longer). 

"Sorry," OldThor apologised, gently setting Loki down. 

"Thanks -- I was about to lose my lunch," came a growling voice from near Angela, who was still snoring. 

Loki glanced down and found red, glowing eyes peeking over his mother's bed. A second later, a memory not quite his own snapped into place, bringing heartbreak and anger with it. "Thori," he breathed, falling to sit on his own bed as the last of his strength fled at the sight of the traitor. "Why are you _here?_ " 

"Loki, is that the Hel-hound's get?" Freyja asked, disapproving. "I thought I told you to put him down! Such a beast cannot be trusted!" 

Thori growled, but quickly quieted when Odin lay a heavy hand on his head -- and began scratching behind the mutt's ears. 

The pain of a memory overrode Loki's anger. "You were right, mother," he admitted. "But when you _said_ that, the child-Loki couldn't help but feel a kinship with the dog -- a creature no one would give a chance to be good. The child-Loki's mistake was trying to _force_ Thori to be good, to prove that _Loki_ could be good in turn." 

"Ya got that right!" Thori agreed. 

"Show some gratitude, cur," Odin growled, grabbing the dog by the scruff; Thori yelped. "You scoff at goodness and all that comes with it, but if not for Loki's compassion and belief in Good, you would be _dead_ \-- and your damned father too, whom Loki freed from limbo! It would serve you well to at least _try_ to be good yourself!" 

"Thori _is_ a good dog, father," Angela said quietly. 

Loki suspected she had never actually been asleep at all. 

"I deny that slander," Thori sniffed. 

"Thori was there for Sera and Leah and me,"Angela insisted over the dog's protest. 

Loki felt a twinge of heartbreak. He knew Angela's Leah was not _his_ Leah -- or rather, not the Leah of the child-Loki -- but still, the part of him that was the echo of the child missed his friend .... 

"Aye, and the dog helped me when I was the Collector's prisoner," OldThor weighed in. 

"Don't get the wrong idea," the dog muttered. "I've always been helping _myself!_ " 

"And Leah. You always did like her better," Loki sighed ruefully. 

"Can you blame me?" 

Loki laughed. "I suppose not." 

"So it seems I was wrong," Freyja reflected. "My son Thor is here now because Loki showed compassion to Thori where even I was lacking. I suppose just because something seems ... frankly, _awful_ , does not mean it inherently has no _value_." 

"That seems to be my lesson for everyone, doesn't it?" Loki mused. "That things often are not as they seem!" 

"That it does, my son," Freyja agreed, ruffling his hair. 

Loki grinned at her, but then looking at her reminded him of how unwell she was. He had a thought. "Thor -- either of you -- can you perhaps heal mother with a hammer, as was done for me?" 

"I do not know," NuThor replied. "Mjolnir healed your wound, but it did not replace your lost blood. And we already determined that Odin's blood has cleansed her of the poison -- I'm not sure there's anything to help her now other than time." 

"Oh. Yes, I suppose that makes sense," Loki agreed. He took his mother's hand, and was happily surprised by the strength there, squeezing his fingers. 

"Well, everyone should let you _both_ rest," Odin ordered. 

"I don't see _you_ going anywhere, old man," OldThor teased. 

"I have to stay with your mother," Odin sniffed, gesturing to the cord that tethered him to his wife by blood. 

"And I have to stay with my family," Thor insisted, laying back on Loki's bed, Sif snuggling up to him. "And the Warriors always celebrate victories with us." 

"This room has plenty of furs on the floor, and the Volstaginous one has always been a good pillow," Fandral noted. 

"We brought mead," Hogun added. 

"You stay," Odin predictably agreed. 

"I am too comfortable to move," Angela informed them from her chair, not bothering to open her eyes. 

"I stay with Angela," Thori insisted. 

"Good dog," Odin teased, patting the grumbling beast on the head. (Loki could just imagine the Hel-Wolf's reaction, if he knew his son was hanging out with the hated Odin ....) 

"I think that's our cue," Verity said to NuThor, rising to leave. 

"Stay!" Loki begged, grabbing Verity's wrist. "I just got you back! Here!" He snuggled up to his mother; there was plenty of room beside him. "It'll be like old times, when we'd fall asleep on the couch!" 

"Loki, it's a little weird with your family here ...." 

"Dog-piling after a battle is Asgardian custom! Besides, as far as I'm concerned, you're family!" 

She blinked in surprise. "You ... you _really mean_ that!" She bit her lip, glancing at the door, then at his parents, who nodded. She shrugged and curled up next to him. 

"You, too," he called after NuThor, who was almost at the door. "You're a Thor; you're family." 

She looked warily at OldThor, then Odin. 

"You've saved my son, and protected my people. If we are to accept Mjolnir's judgement of Loki, I can do no less by you," the All-Father declared. 

"We will not take offence if you decide _not_ to stay, though," OldThor added. "You must do what is best for you." 

After a long moment of silent deliberation, in which she seemed to study OldThor and Verity, she nodded. She sat on the bed with Thor and Sif, and set the hammer down at the foot. She took a deep breath-- 

\--and her armour and hair melted away, leaving an emaciated Jane Foster in her place, in layers of Midgardian clothes. The room was still with shock an endless moment, before OldThor and Sif both hurried to her side. 

"Jane! So it _is_ you after all!" Thor marvelled. 

"I should have guessed!" Volstagg wailed, wringing his hands as he began to cry. 

Jane reached out and laid a hand over Volstagg's. "I didn't _want_ you to know. I ... didn't want you to worry." 

Loki exchanged a level look with Verity; more likely Jane hadn't told Volstagg because the big man had an even bigger mouth. If he'd known, he likely would have blabbed to Odin, who'd likely would have kidnapped her while she was herself, and kept her from the hammer. She obviously cared about the old red-haired warrior, but you could love someone and still not trust them. Loki had learned that the hard way. 

"But ... how is it that Mjolnir has not _healed_ you?" Thor wondered. 

"I think because am a different person when I hold the hammer," Jane began weakly. "I cannot heal this body when it's not there to _be_ healed. Besides, I told you: no magical healing. When I am in my mortal form, I will live and die as a mortal." 

"But then, why take up the hammer and its magic?" Sif asked, taking Jane's hand. 

It occurred to Loki that, besides their mutual love for Thor, Jane and Sif had, at times, been _literally_ closer to one another than Thor had been to either of them. 

"There must always be a Thor. For whatever reason, Mjolnir chose me, for the time being -- I had to honour its wishes." 

"But child ... it's _killing_ you, faster than the cancer alone, isn't it?" Freyja pointed out. 

"How do you mean, mother?" Thor asked. 

"Part of the hammer's power is purification," Loki realised, horrified. "So as you change into Thor, it removes the chemo. You're not actually getting your treatment." 

"So it seems," Jane confirmed with a sad smile. 

"But Thor is worthy again!" Verity pointed out. "And he has his own hammer, so you don't even have to give yours up -- but can't you take a break for a while, and let your chemo work?" 

Loki took Verity's hand, needing comfort as much as wanting to provide it; he felt like he'd been stabbed again. "She can't. The call of the hammer and her Story is too strong." 

Jane nodded. "And even if it wasn't, better a single hour with Mjolnir in my hand than a thousand without it. You understand," she added to Thor. 

"I do," he nodded, looking ill. "Come." He lifted the frail woman and carried her to the head of the bed, laying her in the center, and covered her with the duvet. 

"I'm not _completely_ an invalid," she chided. "But thank you." 

"You are welcome, a thousand times over. You have _earned_ some pampering," Thor insisted. 

"Verily!" Sif agreed. She moved to sit beside Jane, against the headboard, one arm around her friend, with her free hand taking up one of Jane's."My strength is always yours, dear one." 

Thor sat on the other side of Jane, arm around Sif and hand clasped with Jane's other. Volstagg sat on the floor, leaning against Jane's bed, Fandral and Hogun to either side of him, using his meaty legs as pillows. The warriors able to sleep in any position, the room was soon filled with snores of varying strength. 

Loki lay awake awhile, enjoying the camaraderie -- he'd never felt so truly loved by so many at once (not even when running for president!). Verity snuggled against him, and he rest his head against hers, thrilled to have her back -- and trying not to think about how unlucky Loki tended to be for the women in his life (regardless of the nature of that relationship). This very scenario was one Loki had never been in before, so maybe relationships with women were yet another area of his life he might start venturing into new waters. He didn't even really know what kind of relationship he had with Verity, but he would follow her lead .... 

"Loki," Verity whispered. "Can you rewrite Jane's story?" 

"I might be able to _nudge_ it here and there, but it depends on her. I don't want to force a different story on her than what _she_ wants." 

Verity propped herself up on her arm, so she could look him in the eye. "But couldn't you _make_ her want it?" 

He was surprised -- and frankly, a little disappointed -- that she would ask that of him! "I suppose technically, but ... well, then it would be _my_ story, not hers. And if I want people to respect my right to tell _my_ own story, I have to do the same for them. Besides, stories are best when they happen organically -- even if it means they go in an unforeseen direction." 

"So, being the God of Stories doesn't mean you _make_ the stories?" 

"Yes and no. I'm more of a _keeper_ , I guess. Maybe an editor? Or a scribe. I observe, and tell what I see, and make sure the stories are the best version of themselves they can be. Or I try, at least. Sometimes it means getting involved, and sometimes it means getting out of the way. But I'm not interested in controlling everything, like a Beyonder or something, if that's what you mean." 

She beamed at him. "Good!" 

And that's when he realised: "Oh, jeez, you were _testing_ me!" He wasn't angry -- he didn't take that kind of thing personally anymore. He was just annoyed with himself that he hadn't realised it sooner. 

She giggled and lay her head on his chest. 

"Your friend is most useful, brother," Thor whispered. "I will be sure to impress upon everyone that she is as trustworthy as Mjolnir when it comes to judging honesty." 

Meaning, so long as she was around, everyone might _believe_ Loki for a change. 

Tempting as that was ... "Thor, Verity doesn't exist to give _me_ validation. Introduce her as a _person_ , not a lie-detector, okay?" 

"As you wish, brother. Though I can't help but think it would be helpful for you to have someone around to bolster people's faith in you ...." 

Loki sighed. "Thor, I'm still a _trickster_. Having people know when I'm tricking them would be kind of like ... well, like you without a hammer." 

".... Oh." 

"But _you_ will know about her power, if it makes you feel better." 

"Oh! Yes, that does, thank you!" 

"But don't expect me to always _tell_ you when he's lying," Verity warned. "Just because I know doesn't mean I'm obligated to say -- I'm _not_ your personal lie detector!" 

".... Oh." 

"You can always use your new Mjolnir," Loki reminded him. He would probably regret reminding him of that, but if it helped their relationship, it was worth it. 

".... Oh! Right!" 

"Loki, can you answer something about your child-self for me?" Volstagg asked sleepily. 

"I can try." 

"Was he ever happy? I always worried about him -- he was just a boy ...." 

And Volstagg was a softie when it comes to kids. 

"He was. Not all the time -- no one is -- but he had many happy moments. And for what it's worth, he loved you like a favourite uncle. Still does," he added with a smile. 

"He's telling the truth," Verity offered. 

"You ... you really do?" Volstagg blubbered. 

"Of course -- it means a lot to me that the child's loss upset you so. You're a good man, and a good friend." Loki didn't know if Volstagg would ever like the current Loki back, but like with Thor, Loki would understand if the man didn't. 

"What about me?" Fandral asked, sitting up with a grin. 

"You're attractive enough -- I think I could learn to love you," Loki teased, earning a laugh from the other man. "In all seriousness, I appreciate that you were willing to keep an open mind tonight. I hope we can be friends, but I'll understand if that never happens." 

"Truth," Verity chimed in sleepily. 

"I think you're off to a good start. I'll my best try to remember what we've learned tonight," Fandral replied. 

"Also truth," Verity reported. 

"And me?" Hogun asked. 

"You, I hate," Loki deadpanned. 

"Liar," Verity accused. 

Hogun guffawed, earning a shush from Odin. "I hate you, too, trickster," Hogun whispered. 

"Liar," Verity repeated. 

Loki gaped at the warrior. 

"I'm not a _total_ idiot. You talkers talked a good talk. You convinced me," Hogun shrugged. "I'd be stupid to hate someone who saved my life and those I love." 

"And I think that was your entire word-quota for the year," Fandral observed. 

Hogun flipped his friend the bird, then was snoring seconds later. 

Loki chuckled into Verity's hair and fell asleep, feeling safe with and even _wanted_ by everyone around him (save maybe Thori) ... probably for the first time _ever_. 

~FINIS~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoyed this, you might enjoy my ongoing column where I dissect Loki's character! You can find the list about halfway down this page: <https://wolfenm-marveling.tumblr.com/articles>

**Author's Note:**

> If you've enjoyed my writing, I invite you to explore my original fantasy storyverse, [Gaiankind](http://gaiankind.com)! You can even find Gaiankind stories for free [here](http://archiveofourown.org/tags/Gaiankind) on AO3!


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